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Cameron says the Avatar extended edition Blu-ray is the last 2D release left... for reals
Wondering when the Avatar Blu-ray release madness might end? Well James Cameron thankfully clarified at a recent press event that the Avatar extended edition Blu-ray on November 16th will be the last 2D, 1080p, iteration of his Blue Man Group epic before the 3D version arrives. He also slightly adjusted his previous November 3D Blu-ray release predictions made during a Wall Street Journal interview -- stating vaguely that the highly-anticipated format would instead arrive "maybe one, [or] two years out." That's much more in line with statements made by his Fox handlers (coincidence?) and now leaves Panasonic as the only party still claiming their anointed 3DTV owners will bring the Avatar 3D Blu-ray "experience" home sometime this year. Still, while we certainly don't know who at this point would fail the polygraph, we're not Na'vi enough to ignore how Panny's time line helps attract consumers to buy 3DTVs over the holiday season. As with most rumors though, only time will tell who in this debacle had the date right, so for now we'll content ourselves watching the Alien Anthology.
Sharp's ultraslim BD-AV70 Blu-ray / BDXL player hitting Japan soon for over a grand
Remember that slimmer-than-slim Blu-ray 3D / BDXL player that Sharp demonstrated at CEATEC? Looks like the world now has a ship date and price, though you aren't likely to be keen on either. The unit itself -- which measures but 35mm thick and looks eerily familiar to the slimmed-down PlayStation 2 -- will tout a Blu-ray recorder while supporting BD 3D and BDXL playback, and there's even compatibility with OTA broadcasts for those looking to toast television to blank Blu-ray media. Naturally, a contraption this awesome is going to be reserved for the Japanese market, with reports suggesting that it'll ship anywhere between mid-December to early January. The real kicker, however, is the price -- at ¥85,000 ($1,047 based on today's exchange rate), we're surmising that only a handful of individuals can afford to give this thing the time of day. And that, friends, is a modern day travesty.
Sony queues up The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Film in 3D on Blu-ray for November
Just in case you missed out on the 3D broadcast of this year's World Cup or if you simply want to relive the experience, Sony has followed through on its promise of a Blu-ray 3D release, scheduled for November 16. If there's any disappointment (other than remembering the United States team's exit against Ghana) it's that despite a $39.95 MSRP ($27.99 on Amazon currently) it has a running time of a mere 64 minutes and no extras are listed yet. Of course, if you're looking for something to hold you over until 2014, we guess this will have to do, but even if you don't purchase we're sure this is a demo disc that will be playing in Sony Style stores for quite a while.
VIZIO shoots a 3D Blu-ray player through the FCC on its way to retail
Those sweet XVT Pro 3D screens from CES are still MIA, but VIZIO's apparently planning to jump into the 3D game shortly, as evidenced by this Blu-ray player that wireless goodness spotted in the FCC database recently. Other than the 3D capabilities and WiFi N capabilities little is known about the unit, but with VIZIO's favorite holiday (Black Friday) right around the corner, we're guessing we'll hear more about this one shortly
Sharp intros HDD-equipped AQUOS Blu-ray 3D players, complete with BDXL support
You won't find this trio hitting US shores anytime soon, but those situated in Japan have a new gaggle of Sharp BD decks to ogle. The BD-HDW65 and BD-HDW63 both include a pair of TV tuners, BDXL support and compatibility with Blu-ray 3D titles, with the only difference being the hard drive -- there's a 500 gigger in the former and a 320GB drive in the latter. The BD-HDS65 goes with a single digital tuner, a single analog tuner and a 500GB hard drive, which might prove useful for storing copious amounts of drama from Sky TV. You'll also find WiFi integrated throughout, not to mention an Ethernet jack, HDMI output, component jacks and DLNA support. We're told that the first two should ship in around a month, with the last fellow going on sale in Japan this November; as for pricing, we're hearing a range from ¥90,000 ($1,066) to ¥120,000 ($1,422), which ain't cheap no matter how you slice it.
Warner has six Blu-ray 3D discs headed to retail November 16, Sony brings along Open Season
We're not sure if they were just waiting for the PlayStation 3's Blu-ray 3D update to be officially announced, but Warner Bros. has finally responded to our pleas and mentioned a few Blu-ray 3D discs that are headed for retail without any exclusive bundling holding them back. Home Media Magazine reports that among them, Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore will be a day-and-date release along with the standard DVD and Blu-ray editions, while the other five are Clash of the Titans, The Polar Express, IMAX Deep Sea 3D, IMAX Under the Sea 3D and IMAX Space Station 3D, all sporting $44.95 MSRPs. According to SVP Dorinda Marticorena, this push "is just the beginning" and timed to capitalize on an increase in sales of Blu-ray 3D hardware during the holidays. No doubt, as Sony Pictures has also apparently dated the release of Open Season in 3D for November 16 as well, the same day A Christmas Carol arrives -- 3D early adopters mark your calendars appropriately.
PS3 update 3.50 adds 3D Blu-ray movie support starting September 21
We're live from Tokyo Game Show where Sony just announced a version 3.50 software update coming to the PS3 on September 21st. On that date, we'll finally get 3D Blu-ray movie playback, in Japan at least, but likely worldwide. Read more at our liveblog.
NEC expands Valuestar 3D lineup with two new desktop PCs; laptops say LaVie
We'll have to assume NEC managed to free Willy and that its first 3D venture was a success, as the company's just revealed a brand new set of stereoscopic screens, one of which is actually not part and parcel of an all-in-one PC. NVIDIA's 3D Vision kit (with active shutter glasses) and a 23-inch, 1920 x 1080 120Hz monitor accompany this Valuestar L, with a 2.93GHz Core i7-870 processor, GeForce GT 330 GPU, 8GB of memory, 1TB of storage and Blu-ray 3D drive in an attractive white case. There's also a similarly-sized Valuestar W 3D all-in-one with a 2.53GHz Core i5-460M and GeForce GT 330M graphics, a digital TV tuner, half the memory, a 1.5TB drive and a passive, polarized display. If you're not interested in wearing glasses while chained to a desk, of course, you could always consider the new LaVie Light netbook, newly refreshed with a dual-core Intel Atom N550. And yes, we know we made a horrible pun. Sometimes we just can't help ourselves.
Toy Story 3 Blu-ray listed on Amazon for December 10, could it be 3D?
If you're hoping to see more domestically released Blu-ray 3D titles this year you may want to raise your alert level as Blu-ray.com reports, among other retailer information, on a mysterious listing for Toy Story 3 on December 10. The regular release has already been listed for November 2, in both two disc Blu-ray set, three disc BD/DVD/digital copy combo pack and 10-disc trilogy form, but since it's not among the exclusives announced earlier this week from Disney, seeing the top grossing flick of 2010 at home in 3D this year seems like a real possibility.
Disney makes Alice in Wonderland, Bolt Blu-ray 3D discs Sony exclusives this winter
Another day, another exclusive Blu-ray 3D deal. This time it's Disney, opting to align its Alice in Wonderland and Bolt movies with Sony products over the holiday season as the two team up on "consumer and retail education, promotion and marketing support for in-home 3D devices and content." That means buyers of Sony 3D TVs and Blu-ray players may have one of the above as a pack-in, while everyone else waits 'til the unspecified time when they're released at retail. Hear that? That's the sound of 3D early adopters queueing up Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs for the umpteenth time, camping out in line for Monster House next week or wildly overpaying for pack in/ overseas only 3D releases on eBay. As it stands, the year's slate of unbundled releases is otherwise blank beyond A Christmas Carol and Resident Evil, here's hoping it doesn't stay that way long. More details are in the press release after the break.
Panasonic locks up Avatar Blu-ray 3D release for 2010
Confirming earlier rumors and despite Fox's denials Panasonic representatives told TWICE and CNET we can expect a n exclusive offering of Avatar on the Blu-ray 3D format in "early December." Naturally, the 3D blockbuster is expected to push more than a few to make the jump, but this is nothing but bad news to those with televisions from other manufacturers like Samsung and Sony. There aren't many other details available yet, like if equipment outside of 3DTVs qualifies, or how much it might cost, so for now we'll just let the disappointment of yet another 3D exclusive wash over us.
Toshiba finally dives into Blu-ray 3D with BDX3100 player, offers up BDX1100 if stereo's not your style
Seems like Toshiba bit off more Blu-ray 3D than it could chew this year -- the Japanese firm's just announced that the new BDX3100KB will be its first set-top stereoscopic player, never mind the BDX3000 it announced at CES. Still, we're willing to forgive and forget if the new machine (replete with DivX and MKV playback, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround, and instant playback of AVCHD footage from connected camcorders) makes it stateside sometime soon -- both it and the relatively boring BDX1100 standard Blu-ray unit are presently slated for a UK release (at unspecified prices) in October of this year. PR after the break.
Toshiba Satellite A665-3DV gets a stereoscopic software makeover, now plays nice with 2D content, Blu-ray 3D and external screens
Nabbed one of Toshiba's fully-loaded stereoscopic laptops, only to find a dearth of actual 3D? The company's got a software update that might revitalize your machine. Where previously you'd have to install ready-made dual-ocular content directly to your hard drive, the manufacturer's just promised a Toshiba Video Player application that will convert your existing 2D content into 3D, plus firmware that will help you pipe stereoscopic video over the integrated HDMI port and upgrade your Blu-ray drive to take the new Blu-ray 3D discs -- though we honestly thought it could do that last bit already. While there's no word on availability, the press release suggests a download will pop up any moment... so, you know, be sure to keep both eyes out. PR after the break.
James Cameron talks Avatar's theatrical, Blu-ray Special Editions
This weekend Avatar comes back for more in theaters, packing an extra 8 and a half minutes and only available in 3D. According to director James Cameron, part of the reason is there are so many more 3D cinemas now than there were before, especially internationally. If you're still holding out for the (next) home release, expect even more footage with an extra 16 minutes added onto the original cut, which Cameron hopes will help hold fans over while they work on sequels that could take years to make. Oh, and the Blu-ray 3D release? The Hollywood Reporter says that's still on hold for 2011, while Cameron & Co. hold out for a larger installed base of 3D-ready displays.
Samsung shows off portable, HTIB 3D Blu-ray player options and the biggest LED 3DTV yet
We had no idea that the Blu-ray players Samsung showed off at CES would just be the first of a steady stream rolling out this year, and today in New York it's showing off the latest set of 3D capable hardware -- many of which have already shown up on retail shelves. The $499 BD-C8000 is the first portable Blu-ray player that can handle the new 3D discs; while the 10.3-inch screen is 2D only, it folds WiFi, 1GB of memory, HDMI 1.4, a 3 hour battery and all of Samsung's DLNA and widget technology into its very netbook-looking shell for you to take somewhere that has a 3D-ready display. Though that's already shipping on Amazon, we'll have to wait until October to see the $1,799 HT-C9950W 7.1 home theater in a box system, specifically designed (& priced) to match those ultra-thin 9000 series displays (and their sweet touchscreen remotes). Speaking of LED edge lit 3DTVs, Sammy also mentioned it's ready to ship the biggest of the bunch with the 65-inch UN65C8000 (compare that to Panasonic's 65-inch VT25 plasma) which missed the original July launch projection but is already popping up at a few sites for pre-orders at a price as much as $1,500 below its $5,999 MSRP. %Gallery-99192% While those fill out the high end of the product line, more frugal buyers of course have the option of selecting older models that are dropping in price, but there are a few new displays and players (that we've seen before) for them too. Samsung's finally officially launching the 50-inch PN50C490 we saw last month that does 3D on a flat panel display in 720p for less than $1,000. Right now, taking it from 3D capable to 3DTV is still an expensive proposition, but we'll wait and see if any new promotions throwing in the starter kit -- updated with a few new Blu-ray 3D exclusives including Dreamworks Animations' How to Train Your Dragon and two IMAX 3D flicks, Shrek series coming soon -- for free turn lookers into purchasers. Check the gallery for more pictures and the press release after the break for more specs and pricing information.
Panasonic's new DMP-BDT100 is a cheaper, slimmer choice for Blu-ray 3D playback
Panasonic's not letting us know exactly how cheap it's going with the new DMP-BDT100 Blu-ray player, but with an existing lineup that starts at $399 for the DMP-BDT300 it's not hard to see why it would need a mainstream option to compete with Samsung, Sony and the rest. The DMP-BDT100 still promises high quality playback and Viera Cast features including Netflix, Amazon VOD and Pandora access, but it does it in a smaller, energy efficient package as Panasonic's first single-HDMI out 3D Blu-ray player. It will ship in August, but we'll have to wait for any pricing info or possible new Blu-ray 3D pack-in deals (c'mon Avatar.) Press release and one more pic from HDTV.com.pl are after the break.
Marantz adds Blu-ray 3D, internet streaming features across 2010 Blu-ray player, audio line
Marantz has unveiled its 2010 line of high end receivers, amplifiers, pre amplifiers and Blu-ray players, and naturally the headlining upgrades have to do with streaming internet video access, Blu-ray 3D and HDMI 1.4 compatibility. You can check out the press releases for all the details, but we'll highlight the UD7005 ($899, due in September) and UD5005 ($499, August) "Universal Media Players," which earn the tag by including everything SACD, DVD-Audio, DivX and even Blu-ray 3D playback, plus improving on their predecessors by featuring DLNA v1.5 streaming access and built in Netflix and YouTube compatibility. One disappointment however, while some are still waiting for an updated version of the flagship SR8002 receiver, with only new editions in the form of the SR5005, SR6005 and SR7005 receivers. The SR7005 features six HDMI 1.4a inputs, with Windows 7-compatible DLNA, iPod, IP control, Pandora and the other usual feature boxes checked when it ships next month for $1,599.
Sony's second retail Blu-ray 3D, Monster House, goes on sale September 14
Add one more to the list of retail Blu-ray 3D discs, now that Sony Pictures has put a date on Monster House. Due September 14, Sony Pictures' website currently lists the same special features included on the original Blu-ray release back in '06, which we expect to see included in the package, just like Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and a similar $39.95 MSRP. Outside of these kids features, the Blu-ray 3D is looking very dry for the near future, while IMAX: Grand Canyon Adventure has been announced for October 26, we're still waiting to find out when Sony is shipping Open Season and Resident Evil: Afterlife, and when the other movies currently locked in as exclusive pack-in offers will go on sale.
PowerDVD 10 Ultra 3D Mark II update finally adds 3D Blu-ray support
If you're one of the 2 people who have lost sleep anticipating the Mark II update to Power DVD 10 after our previous post, it's time to relax. Support for 3D Blu-ray playback has officially been added and it's even certified by the Blu-ray Disc Association - a first for software players. To sweeten the pot, a new "Enhanced" version of TrueTheater 3D can now upconvert DVDs or just regular video files with basic 3D effects thanks to optimized GPU hardware acceleration or a high end CPU -- that is if you're willing to submit your eyes to watching it. Coinciding with this release, the company's free BD & 3D Advisor software has also been updated to help users assess what aspects of the Mark II's smorgasbord of video playback / upscaling updates their computer can handle. So if your machine has the hardware and you've been dying for more 3D content -- Blu-ray or otherwise -- consider your wish granted.
Samsung quietly expands its 3D Blu-ray player lineup with a few updated models
Don't be surprised to see a couple of new Samsung Blu-ray players on the shelf at local or online retailers while shopping, as it's rolling out new 3D capable models in the BD-C5900, BD-C6800 and BD-C7900. The $399 (MSRP) BD-C7900 updates the older BD-C6900 with two HDMI outs, useful for those with an older receiver that isn't HDMI 1.4 compatible, while the $279 BD-C6800 seems to have all the features of the BD-C6900 except for that porthole on top, and comes in at a lower price. Last up is the BD-C5900 with an MSRP of $229 which puts it within reach of two bills at retail, but means losing the 1GB of internal storage featured by the other two players. The product pages aren't all fully updated on Samsung's site yet, but the BD-C5900 has already arrived at Amazon and Best Buy and the others shouldn't be far behind. Of course, if 3D's not your thing, we'd still keep an eye out for their arrival -- a price break on the older 2D-only models that were released earlier this year shouldn't be too far behind.